<div>A senior banker with a global investment bank recounts wryly how his first job interview was a disaster because of his sartorial misjudgement. Fresh out of management school, he turned up for his interview in a conservative suit. Unfortunately, he paired the blue suit with a tie that was anything but conservative and a bright pink shirt. When the interview panel seemed fascinated by his attire, he knew he had lost the job. <br /> </div><div>Mark Twain, rather cynically, observed: “Clothes make a man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” He was spot on. In most industries, the suit you wear and the tie you choose pretty much decides whether you are dubbed a man of good taste or colour blind. <br /> </div><div>There are, of course, a few industries where this rule does not hold. If you are an Internet entrepreneur, for example, you could stick to your hoody or shorts. And provided you promise to make them millions, even the venture capitalists and investment bankers will not mind your dress sense. For all others, though, making the effort to understand what kind of shirt goes with which suit could go a long way in shaping career growth.<br /> </div><div>If you work in an industry where you need to wear a suit to work, you are expected to dress conservatively. That means that though the lilac suit may look great on the ramp at a fashion show, it will look completely out of place in the boardroom. You would be better off playing it safe with a dark grey, charcoal, black or navy suit with notched lapels. “It could be two-button or double-breasted, solid or pinstriped fabric,” says Elisabetta Canali, global communications director of Italian luxury brand Canali. <br /> </div><div>Next, you need to match a shirt with your suit. Here’s a simple rule: when in doubt go with white or cream. All dark suits will go well with white. Other shirt colours which also go reasonably well include light blue, light pink and pastel colours such as a lemon yellow. Striped shirts or those with self-designs are also good provided they are not in loud colours. People want to hear you, not your shirt. <br /> </div><table width="400" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4" border="0" align="center"><tbody><tr><td><img width="600" vspace="4" hspace="4" height="181" alt="" src="/image/image_gallery?uuid=092bad6a-319e-4fab-a3a4-f1998aeddd03&groupId=222922&t=1362766338811" /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="color: rgb(128, 128, 128);"><strong>Photograph Model: Ashish Kadyan, Clothes Courtesy: Louis Philippe</strong></span><br /><br />The most common mistakes happen when it comes to matching the tie. It is a reflection of you. It attracts attention, and you want it to be the right kind. Ignore it and it can easily become a knot around your neck. “Make sure the suit, tie and shirt blend in perfectly,” advises Samrat Som, creative director of Louis Philippe.<br /> </div><div>Matching the colour is the main issue when choosing a tie. While it should be in contrast with the suit, it should not be glaring. Moreover, it has to match the shirt as well. While almost any tie can be worn with a white or cream shirt, coloured shirts are trickier. Some recommended combinations are: light blue shirts with red, navy or burgundy ties; light pink shirts to complement burgundy or navy blue ties; tan shirts with brown ties — provided you are wearing a dark brown suit. Som warns that carrying off a dark-coloured shirt-and-tie combination is difficult. “Unless you are very sure, don’t try it.” <br /> </div><div>The other thing to consider is the pattern. “Two out of three can have patterns on them but not all three.” So if you have a pinstriped suit, go for a solid shirt and a diagonally striped or patterned tie. If the shirt is striped, match it with a solid suit and tie. Shirts with self-design can be matched with a patterned tie. Canali suggests: “With a black suit and a grey tie, go for a coloured stripe (red, burgundy or grey) shirt featuring a white collar.” <br /> </div><div>The safest and easiest combination to pull off, however, is a dark-coloured suit with a light-coloured shirt and a dark tie. Try a charcoal suit with a powder blue shirt and a patterned deep blue tie. Or, go for the ultimate power dressing combination — a dark suit (preferably black) with a crisp white shirt and red tie. <br /> </div><div>Distinguishing between formal evening wear and a lunch meeting suit and summer and winter wear is also important. While a black suit and red tie is great for a night out, a light grey suit with a white shirt and brown striped tie is more suitable for meeting a client for lunch. Canali says that fabric weight rather than colour distinguishes dressing in the summer from getting ready in the winter. “Blue, grey, and black can be spr­e­ad in spring-summer season as well as fall-winter. Superfine wool, silk or pure cashmere can also be worn through the year.” Som says the cut of the jacket matters — half-layered jackets are lighter. <br /> </div><div>But remember, even the sharpest suit and tie combination will fall flat if the suit doesn’t fit you well, so invest in a good tailor. <br /><br /><div>smitatripathi(at)<span style="line-height: 1.4;">bworldmail(dot)com</span></div><div>Twitter: (at)smitabw</div><br /><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">(This story was published in Businessworld Issue Dated 25-03-2013)</span></div>
